New Visitors: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the web archive, as previous
lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "Why
This Discussion?"

Q: I just went out of a 10 day silent retreat in India. A most incredible
experience. I tried to apply self-pacing and meditate as lightly as I could
(most of the time staying away from mantra or any advanced practices), but
it was overwhelmingly intense. Inner silence and meditation invaded every
moment.

One of the remarkable experiences I had was a realization of a new level of
kechari. I rolled my tongue deeper into the soft palate, and suddenly hit an
inconceivably ecstatic spot. A feeling I could never imagine. However, after
pushing it for some time, I stopped as I realized this puts my tongue in a
very problematic position, perhaps "milking it backwards". I still have
nasty marks on it, and it feels a bit loosened. Are you familiar with such
spot? Is it a taste of stage 2 kechari?

Also, some remarkable experiences having to do with the third eye: one
night, while lying on my bed (definitely wide awake) a shining spot appeared
at the edge of my field of vision. It slowly moved to the centre,
stabilizing it in the middle of it, and suddenly got a heart-like shape and
grew a misty, black-uet colorful aura, greatly concentrated in color and
resolution. I turned my head, and there it appeared again. Once again I
looked the other way - and again it showed up. I closed my eyes - yet it
lingered in its place for some time, Until finally gone. A similar incident
happened yesterday night as well.

Do you have any idea about the meaning of such occurrence? Does it have
anything to do with the third eye? Next time it appears - what should I do
with, can I apply it for further experience in any sort of way?

A: Welcome back. Sounds like you made some wonderful progress on your India
trip.

On kechari, the automatic yoga inclination was strong enough to pull your
tongue back maybe further than it has been so far. If the tip got to the
place where hard and soft palates meet, this is right below the bottom of
the septum, and is very sensitive. There can also be sensitivity further
back in the soft palate itself, and even in the throat. But the septum
(higher up) is the focal point of ecstatic experience. Once you get behind
the soft palate (stage 2 - see previous main lesson#223and
tantra lesson#34)
the tongue will be free to go up and you will find incredible sensitivity up
there, and you will never be the same. I look forward to hearing from you
when that happens!

In the meantime, don't force things too much. Where have you heard that
before?

Visions through the third eye can occur as the sushumna (spinal nerve) is
purifying. Some people start having them as soon as they learn spinal
breathing. The common one is a tunnel with a star at the end, out in front
of the brow. This is often first seen as a circle with a bright light in the
center. Other visions (variations) can occur there too, as you have seen.
You may want to check the lessons on this (#92&#179).
There is advice in these on how to regard visions - not doing much with them
at all. If you look in the
topic indexon
the web site under "Scenery" you will find a group of lessons on having and
dealing with visions, etc. The more advanced we get, the more visions can
happen. Fortunately, by then we are much more grounded in inner silence, so
can resist getting off on the tangents where visions can sometimes take us.
Visions are symptoms of progress, not transforming causes, nor the
enlightenment itself. Enjoy them, be inspired, and regard them as scenery
along the road to enlightenment. Then you will be able to keep focused on
the practices that promote the ongoing transformation in your nervous
system. Carry on!